Obama fever grips Ghana
All
routes this week lead to Accra, the capital of one of West Africa's
most peaceful countries, Ghana. US President Barack Obama lands in
Sub-Saharan Africa for the first time since assuming office. Even a
puppy on the street can sense that something is about happening in
the former Gold Coast.
The streets of Accra has generally taken a new shape, a few
reconstruction work is ongoing to beautify the streets, tourists
from neighboring countries are pouring in, the media are almost all
positioned to receive America’s first black President.
“This is a historic visit for us and we have to feel lucky as one of
the first African countries Obama has chosen to visit” said Addo
Mensah, who trades his wares at the popular circle street in the
capital. Varieties of Obama merchandise in assorted clothing -
T-shirts, jerseys, paintings and bags are crowding out other items
on some of the major streets of Accra ahead of the visit of the US
President.
Ghana’s hospitality business has taken a leap ahead of Obama’s
inaugural visit, as the visit points to the potential of the country
to attract direct foreign investments, there are efforts to boost
the tourism sector of the economy as the demand for more visitors
will increase.
Just some few days before the historic visit a new hotel, Hotel
Obama, named after the US President opened in one of the capital’s
residential areas, East Legon. Another restaurant has been named
Obama Inn.
The 18-room state-of-the-art hotel is owned by Kwame Owusu, a
Ghanaian based entrepreneur. Hotel Obama, he said is an “upscale of
Town and Country Plaza’s chain of hospitality businesses.” “I call
it Hotel Obama, because, President Obama represents all that is
possible in bridging all there is in ethnic and racial barriers, and
a good example of all that is possible,” he told a local news
service.
The names of the hotel rooms have US touch - "White House", “Obama
Suite”, “Michelle Obama”, “Martin Luther King”, “Joe Biden”, “1865”
and so on.
“After living in the US for almost 25 years, he understands what it
means to be a minority in a society like the US. He therefore, finds
it fitting to honour the US President as a living legend”, our
reporter said.
Source: AfricaNews.
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